This invention relates to computers and software, and more particularly to methods and arrangements for selectively providing error information, in a non modal manner, within a graphical user interface (GUI) computing environment.
Computer systems and other resources are typically protected from inadvertent use and/or otherwise unauthorized access through the use of user names and passwords. The passwords are meant to be secret. Those entering the correct user name and password are allowed to access the protected computing resources, data, etc.
A user may be required to remember several different user names and/or passwords. For example, a user may have a company defined user name at work that is associated with a password of their choosing. The same user may have another user name and password for use with a home network, the Internet, an intranet, a World Wide Web (WWW) page, or the like. Keeping track of these different identifiers can be difficult.
Consequently, a recent trend calls for the inclusion of a user defined password reminder or hint that can be manually requested by the user whenever, he/she cannot remember the password. Thus, for example, if the user""s password is xe2x80x9cRoverxe2x80x9d, then the password reminder may be xe2x80x9cThe name of my first pet when I lived in Michiganxe2x80x9d. Hence, the user could request this hint when trying to remember xe2x80x9cRoverxe2x80x9d.
One of the drawbacks to this type of password reminder is that the user needs to actively initiate the reminder. Another drawback is that the reminder information is usually displayed in a modal format that retains the focus of the graphical user interface until acknowledged or otherwise explicitly shutdown. Thus, users typically need to ask for the hint and then acknowledge the hint. This tends to waste time and may frustrate certain users.
Some users and system administrators are not enthusiastic about having such reminder information available for all to access. Consequently, these users are left to trial and error techniques as they attempt to recall their password. This process is further frustrated by the type of error messages presented to the user. Typically, a failed password error message is provided in a modal window within the graphical user interface. Such messages are often accompanied by a system xe2x80x9cbeepxe2x80x9d or other sound. Being modal, the error message window demands the user""s immediate attention. After only a few attempts, a user can become very frustrated. In many cases, it is contemplated that the additional frustration may further inhibit the user""s ability to recall the password.
Thus, it would be advantageous to have improved methods and arrangements that automatically display error information at appropriate times and in more pleasing ways, without requiring any additional user input or interfering with the user""s ability to further interact with the graphical user interface.
Improved methods and arrangements are provided that automatically display error information at appropriate times without requiring any additional user input or interfering with the user""s ability to further interact with the graphical user interface.
Thus, for example, the above stated needs and others are met by a method that includes displaying at least one user input field within a graphical user interface, and automatically displaying error information associated with the user input field through a non-modal mechanism within the graphical user interface. The method may include monitoring user input activities and automatically halting the displaying of the error information upon subsequent user input. The method may include automatically halting the display of error information associated with the user input field after a defined period of time has elapsed. A tip balloon is one type of a non-modal display mechanism that does require the user to respond and does not interfere graphically and/or operationally with the ongoing graphical user interface supported process.